By Muthiah Kasi, PE, SE, CVS-Life, FSAVE
Use the Function Model as a reference in following the conversation shown below. The purpose of the conversation is to illustrate classification of functions leads to different options and their impact on the process or product or project. It also reminds that the function classification is effective if we recognize the people or stakeholders behind the functions.
If the classification is changed, it benefits different stakeholders. It is important to understand the stakeholder’s role in the project. This helps to improve the worth of the project, product or process.
Ben clarifies the confused Ash that you can address the concerns of more than one stakeholders if you place multiple functions desired or needed by the stakeholders in more than one classification.
Now follow the conversation to appreciate the importance of Customer Function Model.
A conversation between Ben, the VE Specialist, and Ash
[Ben has just returned from a six hour drive from visiting his parents]
ASH: How was your long drive? Anything exciting as you drove. Did you frustrate all the fast moving aggressive drivers?
BEN: Of Course I did. I still don’t understand why the drivers have to be impatient and go over the speed limit. Driving should be fun and enjoyable. I usually come up with new ideas and better perspective when I drive in a relaxed manner.
ASH: Did you get any wise ideas you want to share with me.
BEN: As a matter of fact I do. As I was driving along the highway, I noticed a strange thing. I saw two goats were walking along the bottom flange of a bridge girder. One of the aggressive driver in the other lane was distracted and almost hit me. Thank God for my calm and alertness. I quickly avoided him by shifting to the shoulder.
ASH: What are you talking; a goat on the beam. I can’t believe it.
BEN: You better believe it. My wife was quick enough and took these pictures. (Ben shows the pictures.)
ASH: How did your wife take these pictures.
BEN: You got to remember. Women are quick to react. They get the practice by raising their children. I remember our boys will frequently get into all kind of troubles by turning the oven etc. My wife was quick and react to avoid any disasters. That is what she did.
ASH: Did the engineers anticipate these kind of issues when they design the bridge.
BEN: Well. This is very unusual. Normal design process doesn’t alert you to expect these kind of occurrence.
ASH: That is not right. You are a Value Engineer. What would you have done? Will you start with your FAST diagram that you always brag about?
BEN: Not for this. If I have an engineering problem I will reach out for FAST diagram approach. But this is more of an environmental or human related issues.
ASH: Let me guess. You trained me to think in terms of function. The function should be Prohibit Crossing. Right!!!!
BEN: It is not quite simple. Before you get to look at functions, you need to look at the people behind. Animal activists will jump over you. This is a rural area where there is so much animals crossing this highway. They feel that the highway is intruding into their life
ASH: How do you balance driver versus animal issue
BEN: This is where I use Customer Function model.
ASH: What is a Customer Function model?
BEN: It is a way of classifying functions according to their role in the big picture. Engineers and Designers use FAST to solve a technical problem. Managers, Planners, Politicians and Executives view the broad picture by looking at the people behind the functions and try to compromise to satisfy wide range of stakeholders before you think of their needs and desires. First you need to think of stakeholders. They include users, owners and others
ASH: What you are saying is when they plan a highway improvements, they need to list the Drivers, Environmentalists, animals etc. as stakeholders.
BEN: That is right
ASH: Then what do you do with it.
BEN: Let me explain the function model. Functions are classified as Basic, and Enhancing functions. Enhancing functions are further classified as Dependability functions, convenient functions, attractive functions and satisfaction functions.
ASH: I understand all of them except satisfaction functions. Is it not true that you do everything to satisfy stakeholders?
BEN: Yes and No
ASH: What do you mean yes and no? As usual you confuse me.
BEN: You just want everything easy without taking the time to understand the concept.
ASH: O.K. Explain to me. I promise that I will listen to you without second guessing you.
BEN: When you analyze a function you need to ask “Is it basic/ or Dependable? Or Convenience or attractive? In the perspective of your objective, if it isn’t either any of them, then you do it because someone wants you to do it. Then it is listed under satisfy stakeholders. It may still be an important function to get your project complete.
ASH: So the function Permit (Animal) Crossing is a satisfy stakeholder…meaning animal lovers.
BEN: You can say it. If your thinking is correct, we need to create a culvert for the animals to cross. In such case cost of the culvert is allocated to the function Permit crossing. Some may say that it is a high cost with low importance to the highway; therefore a mismatch.
ASH: You don’t seem to agree with me; hearing your tone of voice.
BEN: Yeah. Current situation is a safety issue. I am thinking how I would prevent the crossing. If I close the entrance to the girder, they are going to cross the highway using the road over the bridge.
ASH: Are you saying the function that need to be considered is Protect Traffic or Eliminate Distraction which is a dependability function.
BEN: No I am saying the solution to this problem will be based on two functions; Eliminate Distraction and Permit Crossing. The cost of the culvert can be justified by these two functions.
ASH: You are right. We can kill two birds with one stone.
BEN: Watch it Ash. It is not politically correct by saying it. You should say we can save two birds with one attempt.
ASH: You and your correctness. Let us get back to our discussion. You will split the cost into half and half.
BEN: You can do it. It is little bit subjective. If I am doing it, I will give higher percentage to dependability function. Sometimes, cost reduction guy using the VE term, will try to eliminate the culvert as an unnecessary cost. A Value Engineer can demonstrate the balance and importance of multiple functions.
ASH: I feel that the Function Cost Model is more useful than the FAST diagram.
BEN: Here you again. Don’t jump to conclusion. Both are needed. This is like asking which one is more important; your brain or your heart.
ASH: What do you mean?
BEN: Function classification helps you to do the Right Project. Now use the FAST diagram to do the project right. There are different ways of creating a crossing.
[The phone rings and Ash answered the phone and talked for a few minutes]
ASH: I think that our conversation is timely. My daughter wants me to buy her a car. She is arguing that it is safer than riding public transportation at night coming back from the college. (Assure Dependability). My wife thinks that I am leaning towards it to satisfy my daughter (Satisfy Stakeholder).
BEN: Ash. Sometimes you impress me with your quick learning.
[A few weeks later, Ash related his dealing with the car issue.]
BEN: Ash, How did it go with your car issue?
ASH: I made it clear that we need to agree on the purpose behind our disagreement instead of blaming each other. It is easier to talk about classification than the opinion of three people. In the beginning my daughter wants a new car and my wife does not want to buy a car. After some reasonable discussion we all agree that it is a convenient function. It is really convenient at night since the trains doesn’t run frequently. (Assure Convenience). In such case a good used car that will do it.
BEN: I am glad that you guys got together and settled it.
ASH: Not really. My wife is agreeing that it is a convenient function; it is not every day that our daughter faces it; why not consider Uber service. My daughter says that it is not safe to ride Uber and she pulls the dependability function on me.
BEN: This is called the pain of democracy. Transportation engineers face this kind of situations every day on access and traffic management. They use the function model to measure the opinions and settle the issue. At the end, the decision makers have to decide what classification drives the engine.
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